Missing
by Tmae3114
Summary: Ash knew, with absolute certainty, that she would break out one day. Warlic had warned them she may not be able to break free in their lifetimes. He wasn't willing to accept that.


**Disclaimer: The awesomeness of Dragonfable belongs solely to Artix Entertainment.**

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Ash knew, with absolute certainty, that she would break out one day. Once a month, ever since the day he found out about her imprisonment, he visited what had become dubbed as 'the Ice Crystal'. Few knew the truth about what it was, and he was one of the few.  
Warlic and Xan had been imprisoned too, but they broke out much faster. When the news reached those of her close friends...it was a day he would rather not remember.

As soon as they could though, they pulled themselves together. Warlic had already begun thawing her, but it would take a long time. He had even warned them to prepare for the possibility that it may not even occur in their lifetimes. Ash wasn't willing to accept that.

He had actually managed to rally together her other friends, and through their combined efforts they got her prison moved from its location. They brought it to the cliff just outside Oaklore. It had always been her favourite spot; she spoke of the beauty of the view often. He wanted that to be the first thing she saw when she was free, not the battlefield where her imprisonment occured.

He had been twelve the first time they met. He had been aspiring to become an archknight. She was fourteen, an adventurer (Warrior class, technically), thrust into a series of things she had no control over, an apparent 'destiny' more than she had ever dreamed of.  
They had, naturally, hit it off immediately. They became close friends, each others confidants. They spoke to each other about everything and anything, he even came with her on some of her solo quests, making them a slight bit less solo.

Aria had joined them often enough and she had seemed almost, but not quite, as close to her as he was.

Now, on _exactly_ the second Saturday of every month, he went and sat next to the Ice Crystal, leaned his head against the cold solidified water, looked at the beautiful view and just _talked_. He spoke of everything and anything, like they always had. When it started getting dark and he had to head home, he always promised to come back, and he always would. Ash like to believe that she could hear him, inside that block of ice, and that he was providing some comfort in her prison.

This quickly became a tradition for him. When the day he would officially become an Archknight had fallen on the second Saturday of that month, he had firmly but respectfully informed them that 'Sorry, but could it be rescheduled? There's something important I have to do,'.

He chose the second Saturday, because she had mentioned once that she liked them. He'd asked why, and she'd just shrugged and laughed. 'I don't really know,' she had said 'but do I really need a reason? I just enjoy them more than other days!'.

Many years after her imprisonment, a now much older Ash lifted up his sword from where it lay and stood up as the sunset ended. With a sad and lonely sigh, he ran a hand over the smooth, cold surface of the ice, willing it to break, to just shatter or crack a _tiny_ bit. Nothing happened and he closed his eyes, forcing back tears. The possibility of her freedom never coming in his lifetime was becoming more real.

He hadn't seen his best friend since he was fourteen years old.

He was twenty-nine.

With one last, longing sigh he removed his hand from the ice and turned to leave. He glanced back and whispered "I'll be back next month," before making his journey home to Falconreach.

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**Quick note: I don't know what Ash's _actual_ age in either of the Books is! So, if he has a canonical given age, can you tell me so I can correct it in here? I'm going solely off my own guesses for what age he is.**

So, I wrote a little something about what the Hero being imprisoned is like for Ash. Because in my headcannon, they are best friends. After writing my previous story, I just felt like I _had_ to. Also, second Saturday, picked completely at random, I just needed a specific day once a month for him to visit.

**Anyone enjoy this? I'd appreciate some feedback, if that's okay, I'm not so sure about writing non-player characters for Dragonfable...**


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